A day in Paris

As we were climbing the steps out of the Metro in Paris we could see the silhouette of the Notre Dame appearing little by little until it towered over us in all its glory. Elegant French women were sidestepping puddles in the street whilst the men that bumped into us said a polite "excusez-moi". My day in Paris on Friday already feels like a dream but the beautiful memories are a proof it was real.

My friends J and A took the Eurostar from London, whilst I travelled on the Thalys from Antwerp and we pretended to live in this beautiful city - if only for a day. We admired the mansard roofs of the Ile DeLa Cite then walked rosy cheecked in the clear cold morning to the Cafe Marly for cups of cafe creme. In Colette, we imagined buying the beautiful Celine handbag. The pottery at Astier de Villatte spoke of picknicks under a flowering summer tree. In the Arcade at the Palais Royal we tried the delightful Serge Lutens perfume. Walking along the stately gardens and fountains it felt as if a french courtier in powdered wig could step from behind the limestone columns at any moment. The light filtering through the glass paned roof in the 19th century galerie Vivienne lent a magical air to the mosaic floor, the lanterns and the beautiful boutiques.

Through all that walking we'd worked up an appetite. So we ate, the Parisian way: caraffes of wine, monogrammed linen napkins, homemade pate and gherkins, coquilles saint jacques and joue de boeuf followed by souffle, fromage and mousse au chocolat. La Regalade does all the french classics but with a twist and did not disappoint.

In the afternoon, we explored the cookware at Dehillerin trying to justify buying copper pots that would prepare a meal to feed a family of twelve but instead walking out with a soupoudrier and a whetting stone. We walked on to the Marais and browsed the stores then stopped for a caraf of wine at the Petit Fer a Cheval with its tiny horseshoe shaped bar then finished the day with a meal at a brasserie savouring fish soup, steak tartare and escargots. What a beautiful day...